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by Carol Arvidsson;
Every little bit we do, can help people learn about avalanche danger, especially THIS year in the West.
Our son Erik was in an avalanche last winter in Austria. Two amazing men, his teammates, Bryce Astle from Sandy, Utah and Ronnie Berlack, from Franconia New Hampshire, athletes on the US Ski Team, did not survive. The loss is shared by the ski racing community, their friends and neighbors and most deeply of course felt by their families. After a year, it seems we miss them even more.
In Bear Valley, our family’s original ski town, Natalia and Alex Dodov, lost their only son in an avalanche, almost 3 years ago. The Nicolay Dodov Foundation was begun by the Dodovs and their extended Bear Valley community to bring education and awareness to youth in memory of Nic. The work they are doing is amazing!

The goal of this campaign is to raise funding for avalanche education and safety in the snow to youth in the Sierra Nevada region and beyond.
Nicolay Dodov Foundation was begun as a tribute to Nickoay Dodov who was killed while Snowboarding in Haynes Alaska 2012. Nick was the only child of Alec and Natalia Dodov who live in Bear Valley California, and are originally from Bulgaria. The Dodovs have devoted their lives to the Mission of the Foundation in memory of Nicolay:
“To promote snow sports safety and awareness through educational programs and events. To encourage children and enthusiasts of all ages to safely explore the beauty of the mountains and to inspire a healthy and positive lifestyle in the light of Nickolay Dodov.

In the past 2 years, with only a small budget from friends and family , the Foundation has been able to :
-Provide funding for the new Know Before you Go Avalanche Video produced by Utah Avalanche Center and Colorado Avalanche Information Center
-Provide Funding to the Sierra Avalance Center
-Present an Avalanche Safety Program including Know Before you Go to clubs and schools in California including, USSA Far West skiers and coaches, Kirkwood Ski team, Sierra at Tahoe Race Team, Bear Valley Community and Race teams and Avery Middle Schools. All of these sessions have been given free of charge.

Currently the Foundation has more requests for sessions then their budget allows. The program is unique in that it blends youthful energy with important education about winter safety. Avalanche expertise requires detailed training both in a classroom and on snow, but the first step is understanding what to look for on a daily basis, and how to minimize risk. “Know Before You Go is a free avalanche awareness program. Not much science, no warnings to stay out of the mountains, no formulas to memorize. In 1 hour, you will see the destructive power of avalanches, understand when and why they happen, and how you can have fun in the mountains and avoid avalanches.” (KBYBG video introduction)
The Dodov Foundation’s session provides the first step in education. Additionally, the Foundation will continue to support larger non profits who share their mission, specifically: Sierra Avalanche Center, Avalanche.org, Utah Avalanche Center , and Colorado Avalanche Information Center as a way to honor others who have lost loved ones in avalanches.
The foundation needs help to fund more seminars, and to complete a new goal: to take the next step in safety by providing one set of avalanche safety equipment and basic training to a core team at every club and organization that they visit. The costs incurred to the foundation for each session range from $50-250, and the cost of basic avalanche equipment
( beacon, probe and shovel) that they would like to give to each club for on-site training is $325.00 plus expenses for a certified Avalanche instructor .
This campaign is for $10,000 , so the Dodovs can plan a year of 10-15 additional sessions and provide grants to the organizations listed above .

There have been 7 avalanche fatalities in 2016 already in the United States, and over 40 listed avalanche incidents by the Sierra Avalanche Center in California alone. This is the year to Know before you GO!

The Winter Season of 2015/2016 Nickolay Dodov Foundation had 15 presentations of the Avalanche Awareness program “Know Before You Go” to more than 1200 ski and snowboard racers, middle and high school students, coaches, parents and public!

November 8th – Nickolay Dodov Foundation had a presentation of KBYG to the Squaw Valley Race teams, coaches and parents
December 6th – Nickolay Dodov Foundation had a presentation of KBYG to the Sierra at Tahoe Race teams, coaches and parents
December 12th -Nickolay Dodov Foundation had a presentation of KBYG the Bear Valley Public. Utah Avalanche Center presented. The Founders of the program Craig Gordon and Paul Diegel came to Bear valley to present from the name of the Foundation.
December 18th – Nickolay Dodov Foundation had 6 presentations of KBYG to the 7th and 8th grades students at Avery Middle School
December 29th – Nickolay Dodov Foundation had a presentation of KBYG to the Kirkwood race teams, coaches and parents
January 24th – Nickolay Dodov Foundation had a presentation of Know Before You Go to our Bear Valley race and Devo teams, coaches and parents.
February 20th – Nickolay Dodov Foundation had a presentation of KBYG to the Dodge Ridge race teams, coaches and parentsMarch 22nd – Nickolay Dodov Foundation had three presentations of KBYG to more that 200 students at South Tahoe High School

In the month of December with the help of the Director of The National Avalanche Center, Karl Birkelnad and the help of the mountain guide and avalanche educator Georgi Georgiev from The Free Mountains Associations the Avalanche Safety brochure was translated and printed in Bulgarian language and spread over the mountain resorts in Bulgaria.

Nick Dodov was a member of Sierra at Tahoe snowboard team. On December 6th Nickolay Dodov Foundation presented KBYG avalanche awareness program to Sierra at Tahoe race teams, rippers, coaches and parents.

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On December 12th Nickolay Dodov Foundation presented Know Before You Go to Bear Valley Public. The Founders of the program Craig Gordon and Paul Diegel came to Bear Valley to present from the name of the Foundation.

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On December 12th The Annual Winter Sports History Night honored Nickolay Dodov Foundation with the Ebbetts Pass History Annual Award

On December 18th The Nickolay Dodov Foundation Presented the Avalanche Awareness Program KBYG to Avery Middle School. The Foundation avalanche educator Paul Henrickson presented six presentations of Know Before You Go to 150 students from 7th and 8th grade in their science class.

In the month of December with the help of the Director of The National Avalanche Center, Karl Birkelnad and the help of the mountain guide and avalanche educator Georgi Georgiev from The Free Mountains Associations the Avalanche Safety brochure was translated and printed in Bulgarian language and spread over the mountain resorts in Bulgaria.

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Kick the season off right with the California Premiere of the new “Know Before You Go” Avalanche Awareness Program on Saturday, December 12th at 4pm in the Cathedral Lounge,Bear Valley Lodge in Bear Valley!Come to learn the basics of where to go, when to go and what to bring when you are headed into the wild white yonder!The program will be presented byCraig Gordon and Paul Diegel from Utah Avalanche CenterThis event is organized and host by Nickolay Dodov Foundation for Snow Sports Safety Awareness with support from Theo Meiner Snow Safety Foundation.

We are dedicating our Second Annual Safety Awareness Presentation in loving memory of the US Ski members Bruce Astle and Ronnie Berlack

Utah Avalanche Center worked on the complete revision of the program as a collaborative project in partnership with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Avalanche Canada, Red Bull, Brain Farm, American Avalanche Association, American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, Forest Service National Avalanche Center, Sierra Avalanche Center, Backcountry Access, Sherpa Cinema, and many others.

The project features a new video with interviews from athletes like Mikaela Shiffrin, Jimmy Chin, Travis Rice, Jeremy Jones and Chris Davenport.

The avalanche centers in the U.S. and Canada are adopting the new program into their educational programs. KBYG is poised to launch across North America this coming winter season

Our good friends from Bear Valley Real Estate and Vacation Rentals have graciously invited all of us for food and drink at their Annual Open House held in their office following the Avalanche Awareness Presentation. Then at 7 p.m. head back to the Cathedral Lounge for the Annual Winter Sports History Night honoring Nickolay Dodov Foundation, Bear Valley’s National Ski Patrols and ex ski patroller Peter Hayes with Ebbetts Pass History Association Annual award.

Get this on your calendar! It’s a not to miss event! Come out and enjoy a great educational event, wine and food reception and the Annual Sports History nigh in Bear Valley!

Nickolay Dodov Foundation Future Presentations of “Know Before You Go”